COSSA Member Spotlight
COSSA Welcomes American Institutes for Research as New Member
COSSA is thrilled to welcome the American Institutes for Research (AIR) as its newest member! AIR is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to solve some of the most urgent challenges in the U.S. and around the world. COSSAās full membership list can be found here. Information on how to join is on the COSSA website.
Suzanne Le Menestrel Named New Executive Director of the Society for Research in Child Development
On April 24, the Society for Research in Child Developmentās (SRCD) announced that Dr. Suzanne Le Menestrel has been appointed as the Executive Director. Dr. Le Menestrel has been acting as SRCDās Interim Executive Director since December 2024 and initially joined the Society through her appointment to Director of Science Affairs in 2022. Dr. Le Menestrel has provided oversight of SRCDās peer-reviewed journals, grants, awards, and fellowships; collaborated with the executive leadership team on special scientific initiatives; led professional development and scientific content on behalf of SRCDās 4,000+ members; and built relationships with scientific collaborators, both within the U.S. and…
2025 PAA Advocacy Day: A Record-Breaking Successful Day on Capitol Hill
On April 10, in conjunction with the Population Association of America (PAA) 2025 Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, PAA sponsored a large advocacy day in which over 100 scientists from 30 states participated in meetings with their congressional delegations. PAA sponsors a large advocacy day whenever its annual meeting is held in Washington, DC. The last two events, in 2016 and 2012, attracted over 80 individuals, making this yearās event truly record-breaking. Population scientists went to Capitol Hill to share examples of their federally funded research as well as to promote greater understanding of how data produced by federal statistical agencies are…
Tabbye M. Chavous Named New Executive Director of the American Educational Research Association
On April 7, the American Educational Research Association (AERA) announced that Dr. Tabbye M. Chavous has been appointed as the next Executive Director of the organization, effective August 11, 2025. Dr. Chavous comes to AERA from the University of Michigan, where she is a professor of education and psychology and currently serves as vice provost for equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer. She brings over 25 years of experience and has consistently advocated for high-quality, inclusive research. COSSA looks forward to working with Dr. Chavous and thanks past-Executive Director Felice J. Levine for her service. AERA is a COSSA…
2025 AAPOR Award Nominations are Open
The American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) announced that nominations are open for their portfolio of awards to recognize distinguished work in the profession, as well as to further the education of students and early career researchers. AAPOR welcomes and encourages diversity in all aspects of the research profession, including their award nominees. Read more about each award and the submission guidelines on the AAPOR website. Submissions are due February 21, 2025.
COSSA Welcomes Child Trends as Newest Member!
COSSA is pleased to welcome Child Trends as its newest member! Child Trends is an independent research organization focused on improving life for children, youth, and families. According to Child Trends, āOur work explores how a childās environment shapes their life and the drivers of variance in their outcomes across individual, socioeconomic, and other characteristics.ā Interested in joining COSSA? Find more information on the COSSA website. COSSAās full membership list can be found here.
AERA Seeks Executive Director
The American Educational Research Association (AERA) has begun the search for their new Executive Director. The Executive Director is responsible for ensuring that the organization contributes to building capacity for its members, fosters community and collective opportunities for collaboration, and supports the growth of a diverse and engaged membership. The Executive Director is also responsible for the fiscal well-being, financial management, and professional integrity of the association. Learn more about the description and specifications here. AERA is a COSSA governing member organization.
SSRC Opens Applications for Visual Sociology Prize
The Social Science Research Council (SSRC) is seeking applicants for the Rachel Tanur Memorial Prize for Visual Sociology. The prize recognizes students in the social sciences who incorporate visual analysis in their work and encourages students to work with photography as a visual medium in their study and understanding of social phenomena. The contest is open worldwide to undergraduate and graduate students in the social sciences. Students must be enrolled in their undergraduate or graduate program at the time of application. The deadline for applications is February 4, 2025. Learn more about the prize and the application process here. SSRC is a COSSA…
SRCD Accepting Applications for Policy Fellowship Program
The Society for Research Development (SRCD) is accepting applications for their U.S Policy Fellowship Program. This fellowship provides postdoctoral placements for postdoctoral child development experts for one to two years in a US federal or state agency, or a congressional agency, with a focus on child and family policy. Fellows work in fast paced environments on policy implementation programs, drafting memos, developing research funding, and more. SRCD is seeking researchers that are passionate about evidence-based policymaking, who are open to learning, and want to explore policy-related fields. Interested applicants can apply here. The application process includes a written portion, an interview, and a match-making…
Call for Applications: APSA’s Pracademic Fellowship
The American Political Science Association (APSA) is accepting proposals for the Pracademic Fellowship Program on a rolling basis. The Pracademic Fellowship Program aims to bridge the gap between academia and the world of practitioners by supporting mid-career faculty members to work in federal government agencies in the Washington, D.C. area. Fellows work directly with decision-makers involved in programs of their interest and get a first-hand vantage point of a federal agencyās decision-making environment. The program is open to faculty members in political science, public management, public policy, public administration, and related fields, and is particularly well-suited to mid-career faculty taking advantage of overlaps with…
AAPSS Calls for Nominations for 2025 Moynihan Prize
The American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS) has announced the opening of nominations for the 2025 Daniel Patrick Moynihan Prize in Social Science and Public Policy. The Moynihan Prize is an annual honor created to recognize social scientists, public officials, and civic leaders who champion the use of informed judgment to advance the public good. The winner is recognized at a public event to be held in 2025 and receives a cash prize. Nominations will be accepted through November 1, 2024 and may be submitted on the AAPSS website. AAPSS is a COSSA member organization.
Register for AERAās Annual Brown Lecture in Education Research
On October 24, the American Educational Research Association (AERA), a COSSA governing member, will host its Annual Brown Lecture in Education Research. The annual lecture aims to illuminate the important role of research in advancing understanding of equality and equity in education. The 2024 lecture is titled, āBrown v. Board of Education and the Democratic Idealsā and will be delivered by Elise Boddie, James V. Campbell Professor of Law at the University of Michigan. Register for the event (virtually or in-person) here.
Kimberly A. Mealy Appointed as the Next Executive Director of the American Political Science Association
On August 30, the American Political Science Association (APSA) announced that Dr. Kimberly A. Mealy has been appointed as the next Executive Director of the organization, effective September 16, 2024. Dr. Mealy previously served as Senior Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Strategic Initiatives at APSA. Mealy will be responsible for developing and implementing the strategic mission and vision of the association and overseeing the day-to-day operations of APSA. COSSA looks forward to working with Dr. Mealy and thanks past-Executive Director Steven Rathgeb Smith for his service. APSA is a COSSA governing organization. Read more about the appointmentĀ here.Ā
Midwest Political Science Association Calls for Conference Proposals
The Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA) is now accepting proposals for their 82nd Annual Midwest Political Science Association Conference. The conference will take place April 3-6, 2025, in Chicago. The deadline for submitting papers, roundtables, complete panel, and working group proposals is October 8, 2024; the deadline for submitting subfield and undergraduate section proposals is November 27, 2024. Learn more on the MPSA conference website. MPSA is a COSSA governing member organization.
CASBS is now Accepting 2025-26 Fellowship Applications
The Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) at Stanford University is now accepting applications for residential fellowships for the 2025-26 academic year. Applicants should be scholars and thinkers who are tackling big questions with fresh approaches. CASBS especially appreciate scholars who value discussion across fields, unencumbered by disciplinary boundaries. An academic year at the Center provides fellows freedom to work on consequential projects, a location that affords them access to research and colleagues at Stanford and Silicon Valley, and a collaborative environment that encourages fellows to broaden their perspectives. The Center encourages those from diverse backgrounds, institutions,…
Save the Date: AAPSS 2024 Moynihan Lecture
This fall, The American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS), a COSSA member, will award the 2024 Daniel Patrick Moynihan Prize to acclaimed public interest attorney and scholar Bryan Stevenson. The annual Prize is intended to honor those who have “promoted the use of sound analysis and social science research in policymaking, while contributing to the civil discourse in society.” Each year, the winner of the Moynihan Prize delivers the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Lecture on Social Science and Public Policy in Washington, DC. Stevenson will deliver this year’s lecture on November 18 and the lecture will be followed by a conversation between…
Population Scientists Discuss Maternal Mortality on Capitol Hill
On July 22, the Population Association of America (PAA), in cooperation with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Statistical Association (ASA), Association of Population Centers, March of Dimes, Population Reference Bureau, and Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD), sponsored its annual in-person briefing on Capitol Hill, āMaternal Mortality in America: Understanding the Challenges and Crafting Population Based Solutions.ā PAA, ASA, and SRCD are COSSA governing member organizations. The briefing featured a panel of experts who addressed not only nuances in data regarding U.S. maternal mortality trends, but also addressed potential policy recommendations. The speakersā presentations also underscored…
American Statistical Association Releases āThe Nationās Data at Riskā Report
On July 9, The American Statistical Association (ASA), in partnership with George Mason University, hosted a webinar and released a report focused on assessing the health of the principal federal statistical agencies. This webinar provided an overview of the most comprehensive and current assessment of the challenges facing the nationās most vital statistics and the report detailed the findings and recommendations from the project team. The team assessed the health of federal statistical agencies regarding professional autonomy, support from their parent agency, sufficiency of their budget and staffing, challenges and opportunities for data quality and innovation, and engagement with data…
PAA to Host Congressional Briefing on āMaternal Mortality in America: Understanding the Challenges and Crafting Population Based Solutionsā
On July 22, the Population Association of America (PAA) will host a congressional briefing on āMaternal Mortality in America: Understanding the Challenges and Crafting Population Based Solutions.ā The event will feature discussion about the complex social, economic, and health factors contributing to the maternal mortality rate in the U.S. Speakers to include: Dr. Robert Anderson from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Dr. Alecia McGregor from Harvard University, and Dr. Amanda Stevenson from the University of Colorado-Boulder. This event will offer a space to explore and address these issues, fostering an informed conversation about the research and potential interventions…
Nominations Open for 2025 Sage-CASBS Award
The Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) at Stanford University and Sage now are accepting nominations for the 2025 Sage-CASBS Award. Both Sage and CASBS are COSSA members. Established in 2013, the Award recognizes outstanding achievement in the behavioral and social sciences that push the boundaries of our understanding of social issues. In addition to a cash prize, the Sage-CASBS Award winner will deliver a public lecture to be held at CASBS in spring 2025. The deadline for nominations is September 16, 2024. More information about the Award can be found here.